"Learning To Be Humble" -2

"For Thou wilt light my candle: the LORD my God will enlighten my darkness." (Psalms 18:28) Now just in case you thought I was kidding, this idea of learning to be humble is real, and is something that we are taught how to be right from the start. Truly, this is something that does not come naturally; I can tell you a many stories over these last thirty years of walking with the Lord, how more than once I needed to be instructed in humility; my wife was always good at picking up on my prideful ways long before I would ever notice them. If you have taken the complete journey through God's word several times, then you may have picked up on the trials and errors of many of God's faithful servant, as they learned to be humble before the Lord; some paid a great price for needing to learn the hard way. Case in point, would be those that God will bring down that are full of themselves; Peter is one that quickly comes to mind, for he was one that was quick at leaning upon his own understanding, that was until he was sifted as wheat. When I closed with those two verses from 1 Peter 5, I did so because Peter had experience in being humbled, and he had learned the hard way that humility is something that we are taught, because it is not naturally part of who we are. I know what you are thinking: What about the fact that we are new creatures in Christ? Yes, it's true, we are meant to be like Jesus, picking up our cross and following His example; but there are certain things that we go through which are refining times where God will take us through the fire to burn off some pride that is hanging around in our hearts. A question came up in a conversation I had yesterday, as to where pride begins, in the heart or in the mind. Personally, I do not believe that it begins in either one, but that it is already there in our hearts from the beginning, waiting for something to bring it to life. That is why our hearts are deceitfully wicked, because in that seat of our emotions is the seed of offence, waiting for a reason to be brought to life. Our learning that God brings us through is meant to instruct us in detecting that pride, and to put it down quickly, before it has chance to take root. David is making a point of God enlightening the darkness within his heart, which is something that must happen prior to it being bought to life, otherwise we suffer needlessly... "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto His eternal glory by Jesus Christ, after ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you. To Him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen." (1 Peter 5:8-11)